There is a great deal of information available online about how creating a personal brand can help make it easy for you to promote yourself through social media, especially when you are looking for a new job. Unfortunately, there are still many people who feel uncomfortable with creating their brand and think that branding is something for people who are more interesting, at a higher point in their career or just for people who want to try to be someone they aren't. This couldn't be further from the truth. In fact, almost anyone can take a look at where they are at in their lives and market themselves in a way that shows off their unique talents and lets people know what they have to offer.
One of the great examples of personal branding and someone you can learn a lot from is Ken Carson, that's right – Barbie's ex. Ken has been around since 1961 when he was created as a boyfriend for Barbie. Over the years, he has had a few makeovers, but after the all of the media attention his breakup with the fashion icon generated, he sort of fell off of the map. A break-up like that can shake you to your foundation and make your identity outside of the relationship non-existent and even cause you to question what you have to offer. But recently, Ken has created his own personal brand complete with a Facebook and Twitter account. He has over 4,000 followers on Twitter and lots of Facebook friends.
So how did someone who had long been perceived as being lame create a successful personal brand? First, he started by taking a hard look at his strengths and weaknesses to see what he had to offer. I would imagine it looked sort of like this:
Weakness-
- Is a toy designed for girls, so he doesn't have an identity outside of that.
- Is always an accessory for Barbie
- Never has been in the spotlight by himself.
- Is often thought of as weak.
Strength-
- Is a fashion doll, and has been on the mens' fashion scene for decades
- Is able to allow others to take the spotlight without complaining
- Has a full line of fashion and accessories for any possible occasion
- Was always willing to be whatever Barbie needed
- Has decades of experience being a partner to a world-famous celebrity.
After looking at exactly who he was and what he was good at, he started marketing himself as “The Perfect Date”. On his his marketing campaign, he included pictures of himself dressed for a day at the beach, a night at the opera and even his casual look. There is even a new doll, called “Sweet Talking Ken” that allows girls to record whatever they want him to say and he will say it back. The doll wears a t-shirt that says “Ultimate Boyfriend”. And I don't think that there is any dispute that Ken is, in fact, the perfect escort for a doll.
As someone who has long been involved with fashion, he started his new marketing campaign this past November during NYC's Fashion Week. He checked in with his Foursquare account at several different locations and challenged people to come find him to get a prize. By using this buzz, he was able to get his new personal brand noticed. He continues to give dating and fashion advice on his Twitter feed with #KenTips. By knowing what he is good at and answering the question “Why should anyone care?” he was able to present himself in a new and exciting way. Who would have thought that Ken would have anything useful to say about dating or fashion, but, now that he has mentioned it, it is clear that he has more experience than most. He even has a new contest where men can enter to win the title “Genuine Ken”. The title of Genuine Ken would imply that like him, the winner has great fashion sense and is the perfect guy.
So, now that Ken has re-branded himself, he isn't done. He is attempting to use the power of social media to accomplish his end goal, which is to win back the heart of the woman he loves. He had been hinting about how many happy memories he has about Barbie. He announced that his New Year's Resolution was to get Barbie back, and has created a poll for his followers to weigh in with their opinions.
Here is a sample of some of his posts:
Ken Today's Ken-fession: Don't be afraid to step up your wardrobe, guys. Men's Wear is back, and dressing to impress not only boosts your confidence but can be a competitive edge.
Ken Jogging on the beach in Malibu reminds me of Barbie. Memory overload
For my New Year's resolution, I plan on working hard to get that special someone back into my life. What's your resolution?
So, even if you don't feel all that comfortable with creating and marketing your personal brand, just know that taking some time to really think about who you are and what you have to offer, you can create something that accurately plays up your strengths. You don't have to be someone you aren't and you don't have to feel that you are bragging. And hey – if a plastic doll can do it- so can you!
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By Melissa Kennedy- Melissa is a 9 year blog veteran and a freelance writer for Manhattanjobsblog, along with helping others find the job of their dreams, she enjoys computer geekery, raising a teenager, supporting her local library, writing about herself in the third person and working on her next novel.
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